What is interesting is neither the US government nor Human Rights Watch has anything bad to say about the voting process or the count. Because they know Ethiopians from cost to cost voted in huge numbers for the incumbent party peacefully and willingly. Therefore they have to find other ways to discredit the election to put EPRDF in defense. And so they question the days leading up to the voting day. Give me a break. The opposition was given ample opportunity to promote itself and its policy. In fact many of them did not use all of the allotted time on the government media.

As for EPRDF using the media more than the opposition. Well it is the government and it has to communicate its affairs to the public some ways. Government work does not stand still just because there is an election.

In conclusion, Ethiopians have conducted a peaceful, free and fair election. They should be congratulated. EPRDF is democratically elected regardless of what its detractors say.

P.s. If the US is sincere about promoting democracy, it should be outraged by what is happening in Thailand. A democratically elected government was deposed by the military and the Bangkok elite. And when supporters of the deposed leader asked for an election they were mowed down. Yet the Obama administration has said nothing on the matter. In fact Human Rights Watch was harsh on the deposed democratically elected leader and silent on its deposers. The reason is Thai’s urban elite and the military are considered a bulwark against the expanding Chinese influence in the region.